Shark hook

Hawaii, probably 18th century
AD

Captain Cook and his crew visited the Hawaiian
Islands twice in 1778 on his Third Voyage. This was the first time
Europeans had visited the islands. Cook's arrival coincided
with celebrations devoted to Lono, the god of agriculture and rain;
Cook was received with great respect as the Hawaiians believed him
to be an incarnation of the deity. He was presented with numerous
gifts befitting someone of high status, including a feathered
helmet and cloaks. Cook and several Hawaiians were killed on 14
February 1779 during a skirmish resulting from a misunderstanding.
Although there is no firm evidence, it is thought that this hook
was collected on Cook's Third
Voyage.

Shark hooks -
larger than those for other types of fishing - are made either from
a single piece of bone (whalebone or, in some instances, human
bone) or a bone point lashed onto a branch of a hard wood tree that
has been trained to grow into a suitable curve. The finely woven
covering over the lashing connecting the hook and line is
characteristic.

Hawaiian
shark hooks were owned by high-ranking men, and shark fishing was a
popular sport of the Hawaiian chiefs. Shark teeth were used to
provide very sharp edges on various types of weapons, including
long daggers, short clubs and knuckle-dusters. Drum membranes were
made from shark skin. Shark skin was sometimes used as a form of
sandpaper to finish wooden carvings.